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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475561">I Never Thought I Would See Him Again</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/elsiecarson/pseuds/elsiecarson'>elsiecarson</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Grace and Favour</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confessions, F/M, Frustration, Memories, Past Relationship(s), Shock, Surprises, Talking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:33:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/elsiecarson/pseuds/elsiecarson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mrs Slocombe's reaction to seeing Mr. Maurice Moleterd again. In the show, they rather gloss this over because Mrs Slocombe pretends not to know him. This is what really happened</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is Mr. Moulterd. He’s been running the farm at Millstone Manor.” Mr. Rumbold says as he introduces the limited manor staff to his colleagues.</p><p>“Mr. Maurice Moulterd?” Mrs Slocombe asks hesitantly. She spent part of the war on a farm with a Maurice Moulterd.</p><p>“Yes,” Mr Rumbold says with his usual confusion on his face. “Why do you ask?”</p><p>“No reason. I think I’ll take my things upstairs.” Mrs Slocombe quickly escapes the foyer and the man from her past.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Telling Miss Brahms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright Mrs Slocombe, what was that about? You don’t usually react like that.” Miss Brahms asks chasing her friend up the stairs.</p><p>“Oh drat, I never thought that I’d ever see him again when I left that farm. He’s coming back to haunt me! How am I supposed to work here with that man around?” Mrs Slocombe complains.</p><p>“Who, Mrs Slocombe?” Miss Brahms asks with confusion. Mrs Slocombe’s not making any sense.</p><p>“Mr Moulterd! He was my first ever and now he’s suddenly in my life again. This ruins everything! I can’t work here with him! It would be too embarrassing!” Mrs Slocombe says hysterically.</p><p>“That man was your first lover? Mrs Slocombe, I thought you had higher standards than that.” Miss Brahms sounds shocked.</p><p>“I do now. I didn’t when I was very young. This all happened during World War II when I was sent away from London to protect me. I met Morris on the farm I was sent to. He was sweet and I was young and naive. We were really good friends and he made me feel very special. The first time we made love we were in the hayloft. It was gentle and sweet, but I never thought I’d see him again when I left that farm. This is a disaster!” Mrs Slocombe says angrily. She has tears in her eyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Taking a Walk Around the Grounds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Miss Brahms, Mrs Slocombe, we’re going out to walk the grounds. Are you going to join us?” Captain Peacock asks knocking on the door to Mrs Slocombe’s bedroom.</p><p>“Yes, of course, Captain Peacock. Give us just a moment and we’ll join you.” Mrs Slocombe says through the door. She dries her eyes with her handkerchief and composes herself. “Please don’t tell anyone what I just told you Miss Brahms.”</p><p>“Of course not, Mrs Slocombe. We should get downstairs and join the men. They’ll be getting worried about us.” Miss Brahms says gently.</p><p>“Does it look like I’ve been crying?” Mrs Slocombe asks tucking her handkerchief into her handbag and powdering her nose.</p><p>“Now it doesn’t. The powder fixed the red blotches on your nose. You look like your regular self.” Miss Brahms watches Mrs Slocombe pick up her handbag and walk out of the room.</p><p>When Mrs Slocombe walks down the last flight of stairs she is calm and poised. Her chiffon overdress floats out behind her and her aqua pumps clack on the stone floor when she reaches the bottom.</p><p>“Are you alright, Mrs Slocombe? You looked like you’d seen a ghost earlier.” Mr Humphries asks when he sees Mrs Slocombe.</p><p>“I’m fine, Mr Humphries, thank you for asking.” Mrs Slocombe says politely.</p><p>“Well, shall we take a walk around the grounds and see what we’re working with?” Mr Rumbold suggests rallying his colleagues.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Telling Captain Peacock Her Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The group heads out to look at the grounds and the farm area. Captain Peacock walks at the back of the group with Mrs Slocombe. He offers her his arm to lean on while they walk over the uneven ground. “I’ve seen that look before.” Captain Peacock whispers to Mrs Slocombe.</p><p>“What look?” Mrs Slocombe asks naively. Secretly she knows exactly what Captain Peacock is talking about.</p><p>“The one that you gave Mr Moulterd when he walked in the room earlier. The look that says someone just walked back into my life that I never expected to see again and now I don’t know what to do. Where do you know Mr Moleterd from?” Captain Peacock asks gently.</p><p>“I spent part of World War II on a farm and Mr Moulterd was there. I didn’t recognize him, but the minute Mr Rumbold said his name I knew that it was the same person I’d grown up with. I nearly fainted dead away and you would have had to catch me.” Mrs Slocombe explains to Captain Peacock.</p><p>“There has to be more to your relationship if you were about to react like that to seeing him again. What’s the real reason you were reacting that way?” Captain Peacock asks.</p><p>“There might have been more to our relationship than I said, but a lady never kisses and tells. You don’t get to know everything about my past.” Mrs Slocombe teases.</p><p>“Mrs Slocombe you are cheeky, but I think I know your secret. You blushed when you saw Mr Moulterd. He’s very special to you in a way no one else can be, isn’t he?” Captain Peacock whispers.</p><p>“How did you know? You didn’t overhear my conversation with Miss Brahms did you?” Mrs Slocombe hisses at Captain Peacock.</p><p>“No, I didn’t overhear your conversation with Miss Brahms. Don’t tell me I was actually right?” Captain Peacock sounds shocked.</p><p>“Yes, you are right. When I was on the farm with Mr Moulterd when I was young he was very sweet and I had less sophisticated tastes then. We were young and impetuous and the first time we made love was in the hayloft in the barn. We were so good together and we had that farm working so well. We were in charge of the entire farm. I learned how to run a farm, milk cows and harvest crops all alone. I felt so free on that farm. I wasn’t worried about the social norms that I deal with now. He was my everything, but when I left the farm I never thought I’d see him again, so I was very shocked when I saw him today. We were a couple in the midst of World War II.” Mrs Slocombe says heavily.</p><p>“Well, I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to tell. It’s a very personal detail in your life. It’s your story to tell. It’s not up to me to share.” Captain Peacock says gently. Neither he nor Mrs Slocombe have been paying much attention during the tour, but somehow Mrs Slocombe feet carry both of them exactly where they need to be. “Will you talk to Mr Moulterd about all this while you’re here?”</p><p>“I’ll only talk to him if he recognizes me. I don’t want to dredge up old memories if he doesn’t remember me. It won’t help either of us.” Mrs Slocombe says thinking carefully.</p><p>“Well, I’ll be here if you need to talk. It sounds like this could get complicated and I’m here to talk to.” Captain Peacock says soothingly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Putting Mrs. Slocombe in Charge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Captain Peacock and Mrs Slocombe walk through the farmyard and out to the area where the garden has been planted. “This is great. We can use the vegetables in the garden to cook with.” Captain Peacock says looking around.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll have to come out here and pick some of the vegetables later. It looks like everything’s ripening nicely.” Mrs Slocombe says as she looks at some of the fruits and veggies.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t know you knew anything about farming, Mrs Slocombe. Shall we put you in charge in charge of teaching all of us from the city how to live and work on a farm?” Mr Rumboldt suggests.</p><p> </p><p>Captain Peacock can feel Mrs Slocombe tense and dig her nails into his arm. He knows that Mr Rumbold’s suggestion means that Mrs Slocombe would be forced to spend more time with Mr Moulterd and that’s the last thing she wants. “Sir, I don’t think that’s how Mrs Slocombe imagined spending her retirement. I think we can figure our most of what we’ll need to do around here. Just let her enjoy her retirement.”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course, Captain Peacock. I’m sorry, Mrs Slocombe, I didn’t mean to imply that you had to do this job.” Mr Rumbold says gently.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s alright, Mr Rumbold, but I’d prefer not to do that particular job, if you don’t mind.” Mrs Slocombe says honestly.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I don’t mind, Mrs Slocombe. You need to do what you feel is right of course.” Mr Rumbold doesn’t want to upset Mrs Slocombe. The group slowly moves to another part of the farm.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Were You Really Flirting With Me Back Then?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Thank you for getting me out of that situation.” Mrs Slocombe whispers as she and Captain Peacock continue to walk together.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I thought if you got assigned that task that you’d have to spend much more time with Mr Moulterd and that might be very awkward for you.” Captain Peacock says sympathetically.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s very sweet and considerate of you, Captain Peacock. I appreciate it very much.” Mrs Slocombe flirts with Captain Peacock enough to get him to notice.</p><p> </p><p>Captain Peacock shrugs off the praise from Mrs Slocombe. “You haven’t changed a lot since the first time I met you Mrs Slocombe. Although your hair is much more subdued than it was, your appearance hasn’t changed all that much.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s a lovely thing to say, but we both know it’s not true at all. I remember meeting you the very first time. I remember thinking you were very handsome. I think we met at the Christmas party my first year working at Grace Brothers. You were flirting with me.” Mrs Slocombe reminisces.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I was flirting with you. My wife wasn’t there and I thought you were absolutely beautiful. I was too nervous to even ask you to dance. I remember watching you all night before I asked you to dance.” Captain Peacock thinks back.</p><p> </p><p>“You didn’t ask me to dance, I asked you! You never did pluck up the courage to just ask. We’d been flirting all night and I didn’t even know your name. You danced so smoothly, but you were so nervous. It felt nice to know I still could have that effect on a man.” Mrs Slocombe teases Captain Peacock.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t really know how to react to you. I’d never dealt with a woman as forward as you. All I knew about you before we danced was that you were beautiful and I knew which department you worked in.” Captain Peacock tries to explain gently. Both Captain Peacock and Mrs Slocombe are trying not to be overheard.</p><p> </p><p>“How did you find out what department I worked in? I certainly didn’t tell that that night.” Mrs Slocombe asks. She’s surprised at what he’s just said.</p><p> </p><p>“I asked people at the party about you. I was curious about you. You were different and intriguing and I wanted to know more about you. I was very happy when you ended up in my department. You and I always got along well. I always that I didn’t really know as much about you as I thought I did.” Captain Peacock says gently.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. You Will Stay, Won't You?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You are going to stay here, aren’t you?” Captain Peacock pleads with Mrs Slocombe.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I am staying. I can’t really go home. I gave up my flat. If I went home I’d have to admit to Mrs Axelby that I’d failed. I don’t do that easily. Besides, the people I’m with now are the people I’ve spent most of my life with and they’re special and you’re here to help me.” Mrs Slocombe says sweetly. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good, I’m glad you’re staying. It wouldn’t be the same around here without you.” Captain Peacock flirts with Mrs Slocombe as they walk into the manor. This is exactly the way they used to behave with each other when they were younger.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I suppose if I’m staying I’d best get started unpacking my things. It’s going to take me a while to get finished.” Mrs Slocombe says slowly. She doesn’t really want to leave Captain Peacock’s company.</p><p> </p><p>“Come and have a cup of tea first and then you can unpack.” Captain Peacock requests of the lady.</p><p> </p><p>“Well... alright,” Mrs Slocombe says pretending to be persuaded by Captain Peacock’s suggestion, but it didn’t take all that much persuasion.</p><p> </p><p>Captain Peacock and Mrs Slocombe walk down into the kitchen. Mrs Slocombe immediately begins to make tea for the two of. “Would you look for some biscuits to have with our tea?” Mrs Slocombe asks as she scoops some tea leaves into a teapot she finds in a cupboard.</p><p> </p><p>Captain Peacock searches through the cupboards and pantry looking for biscuits. “Found some!” he calls as he pulls his head out of a deep cupboard with a package of biscuits in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Ooh, those are the good brand of biscuits too. That’s perfect.” Mrs Slocombe smiles. She rummages in all the drawers looking for a tea strainer. “ Tea’s ready.” Mrs Slocombe hands Captain Peacock a cup of tea.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think you’ll miss living in London, Mrs Slocombe? You’ve lived there a very long time.” Captain Peacock asks as he and Mrs Slocombe sit down at the small kitchen table.</p><p> </p><p>Mrs Slocombe crosses her ankles beneath her as she sits down. “I don’t think I’ll miss London all that much. I don’t have many friends remaining in London with the exception of Mrs Axelby. All my dearest friends are here.” Mrs Slocombe explains in a chipper tone of voice.</p>
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